


Violets

by butterflyslinky



Series: Alphabet One-Shots [22]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-29 05:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6361339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyslinky/pseuds/butterflyslinky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Quirinus Quirrel is obsessed with flowers, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the girl with the violet-blue eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Violets

**Author's Note:**

> Written October 2011. Pottermore had just been released and I was interested to note that Quirrel's hobbies included pressing wildflowers. There had to be a story there someplace, and low and behold, there was.

Quirinus Quirrel was never very popular. He was too shy to try and make too many friends and most people laughed at how nervous he always was. Whenever a teacher asked a question, Quirinus would stutter the answer, much to the amusement of all his classmates, especially the girls.  
  
Especially one girl, whose name was Violet McKenzie, and who happened to be the prettiest girl in Quirinus’s class, the girl with the violet-blue eyes.  
  
Even though he knew most of the subjects well, he could never share his knowledge without feeling nervous. Whenever he stuttered out an answer for Professor McGonagall, Violet would laugh at him in a way that was cruel and yet, somehow, endearing to him.  
  
For nearly five years, Violet had laughed at him, and yet Quirinus still found her beautiful and charming. After all, it wasn't that she was mean to him otherwise. If he wasn’t so timid, she would probably like him.  
  
He admitted all this one night to his only friend, a boy in his dorm called Lester Leroy. “I wish that V-violet would l-like me… I wish I didn’t always s-stutter in c-class…”  
  
Lester rolled his eyes. “Why Violet? Sure, she looks pretty, but there’s nothing between her ears. And she always makes fun of you. What can you do to get her to notice you?”  
  
“I don’t n-know,” Quirinus said. “I mean… what would impress a g-girl like V-violet?”  
  
“Great warriors?” Lester asked. “A guy who knows his Defense Against the Dark Arts?”  
  
“Sure!” Quirinus cried. “That’s it!”  
  
At first, studying Defense was difficult, but after a few months, Quirinus had all the theory down. He would have done the practical aspects as well, but it was hard to simulate a defensive situation while locked up in school. He practiced answering all the Defense questions until he could say all the answers loud and clear without a trace of a stutter. Soon, Quirinus was at the top of the class.  
  
Violet certainly didn’t laugh as much as she used to. In fact, Quirinus thought that she looked impressed whenever he reeled off the answers to the Defense questions. But maybe that was wishful thinking.  
  
“What do I do now?” Quirinus asked Lester.  
  
“Ask her out?” Lester said sardonically. “But in a special way. Like… I don’t know, enchant flowers to spell out a proposal outside her window.”  
  
“I’m no g-good at Ch-charms,” Quirinus stuttered. “And she’d p-probably say n-no…”  
  
“You never know until you try,” Lester shrugged.  
  
Quirinus thought about that for several weeks. Spring was coming, and with it the exams, but Quirinus could think of nothing but Violet and his Defense exam. Maybe if he got an O on the exam, she would be impressed and he would have her without trying.  
  
One day, Quirinus was out on the grounds for some air. He happened to look down and he saw a violet, the most perfect violet ever, with the most beautiful violet-blue color. Quirinus knew about flowers. His mother, a Muggle, had been into horticulture and used to press wildflowers into scrapbooks. Quirinus realized that such a perfect violet was only suitable to be given to a girl like Violet McKenzie.  
  
A girl with violet-blue eyes.  
  
*  
  
“V-violet?” Quirinus said.  
  
“Yes?” she said, looking up. “What is it, Quirinus?”  
  
“I… I wanted to g-give this t-to you.” He held out the violet.  
  
“You are sweet,” Violet said. “But what are you giving me a flower for?”  
  
“Well, it’s… it’s p-pretty… l-like you.”  
  
“Thank you,” Violet said, taking the flower. “Incidentally,” she added. “That friend of yours… Lester Leroy… I think he’s cute, so… how can I get him to notice me?”  
  
*  
  
Quirinus picked more violets. He couldn’t help it. Although she had chosen his friend over him, Quirinus still found Violet McKenzie the most beautiful creature in the world. And violets were still the most perfect flower on the grounds.  
  
He pressed the violets just like his mother had taught him. There were dozens of violets in his scrapbook—so many, in fact, that he had to keep getting more scrapbooks. The violets were his obsession. As he picked and pressed, he tried to think of ways he could win Violet away from Lester.  
  
His Defense OWL was the highest in the class and so far this year, his sixth, he had maintained the highest grade in the class. No one laughed at him anymore. He had stopped stuttering after Violet had rejected him. Although he was still nervous, he was now more determined than scared.  
  
When he left Hogwarts, he would take the grand tour. He would fight all the darkness in the world. And he would search for the Dark Lord, master him, bring him in, like no one else had ever been able to do. If that didn’t impress Violet, Quirinus didn’t know what would.  
  
By the time the frost came, Quirinus had filled three books with violets.  
  
*  
  
“Quirinus?”  
  
“Yes?” Quirinus looked up as Violet sat down next to him, looking miserable, with tears in her violet-blue eyes.  
  
“Lester just broke up with me,” Violet cried. “I don’t know what to do… I love him so much…”  
  
“He’s a jerk anyway,” Quirinus said. “He didn’t deserve you.”  
  
“Isn’t he your friend?” Violet said.  
  
“Doesn’t mean I think he deserved you,” he answered. “Anyone who deserved you would never let you go. I mean, you’re the prettiest girl in school, and you’re smart and fun and…”  
  
“Oh, Quirinus,” Violet said. “You’re so nice to me… I know I can tell you anything.”  
  
Quirinus nodded. He knew what that meant. He was strictly Violet’s friend. She would always think of him as that timid little boy who she’d known for six years. No matter what he did, she would always see him as a child…  
  
“I wish I could have a boyfriend like you,” Violet sighed.  
  
“You can have a boyfriend exactly like me,” Quirinus said before he could stop himself.  
  
Violet smiled in a way that Quirinus couldn’t resist. “We have a Hogsmeade weekend on Saturday,” she said. “And sixth years are allowed out later.”  
  
Quirinus nodded without really considering the matter. Violet wanted him in Hogsmeade.  
  
“Meet you at the Hogshead,” she said. “Around seven.”  
  
“All right,” Quirinus said.  
  
*  
  
The landlord had raised his eyebrows considerably when Violet asked for a room with Quirinus only a few feet behind, but he gave them a key. Violet smiled and pulled Quirinus upstairs.  
  
“Violet…” Quirinus began, but as soon as they were in the room, Violet began kissing him and there was nothing he could do to resist.  
  
“Violet…”  
  
“Quirinus…”  
  
He couldn’t help himself, really. And she was so beautiful.  
  
Quirinus tried not to fall asleep when it was over, not wanting to be late getting back to school, but somehow he did. When he awoke, the sky outside the window was dark and Violet was hastily pulling on her clothes.  
  
Quirinus sat up. “What time is it?” he asked.  
  
“Nearly ten,” Violet said.  
  
“We won’t have this chance again,” Quirinus muttered, more to himself. “They probably won’t allow us into Hogsmeade again since we’re so late.”  
  
“Mm,” Violet hummed disinterestedly.  
  
Quirinus got up and began to dress, wishing that he wouldn’t have to take the punishment of being late. Violet was so wonderful. He didn’t want to be separated from her.  
  
They made their way downstairs in silence. Violet didn’t seem to have anything to say and Quirinus didn’t want to break that silence.  
  
Quirinus quickly paid the bill and they walked down the high street. The silence was becoming uncomfortable. He wished that Violet would say something, or that he had something to say to her, but there was nothing to be said, really, except to clear up one thing.  
  
“So… you’re my girlfriend?” Quirinus said as they approached the school.  
  
Violet shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “I mean… tonight… I don’t know what happened… I guess I was trying to get over Lester, but I… I don’t know that I want to be your girlfriend.”  
  
“You said I was sweet to you,” Quirinus reminded her. “And that you wanted someone like me.”  
  
“I know what I said,” Violet snapped. “But girls like me don’t take what they want, not really. We go for what we know will make us unhappy because if everything works out perfectly, we feel like we haven’t challenged ourselves. We might try to rebound on boys like you, but we always go back to the boys like Lester, the ones who will hurt us and make us cry. Don’t ask why. It’s just what will always happen.”  
  
“So that’s it, then?” Quirinus said. “A one-night stand and you go for someone who will never love you like you deserve? I love you, Violet. Why give that up?”  
  
“I don’t have a reason,” Violet admitted. “Quirinus… you’ll always have a special place in my heart, but… I don’t think it would work between us.”  
  
“We could try…”  
  
“And we’d break our hearts all over again. Why drag it out?”  
  
“You don’t know that.”  
  
They had almost reached the gates. As they walked up the drive, a lantern bobbed toward them.  
  
“I do know it,” Violet whispered. “I would destroy you. You’re not strong enough for a girl like me.”  
  
Just as Quirinus opened his mouth to reply, Professor Flitwick appeared, looking very grim.  
  
“I suppose you two have an explanation for being out at this hour?” he asked.  
  
“No, sir,” Violet said. “We don’t.”  
  
“Very well,” Professor Flitwick said. “As you two are in my House, we will be meeting in the morning to discuss your punishment.”  
  
“Yes, sir,” Violet and Quirinus said together. Violet turned and hurried toward the castle. As she turned, Quirinus caught one last glimpse of the violet-blue eyes.  
  
Professor Flitwick looked up at Quirinus. “Something wrong, Mr. Quirrel?”  
  
“No, sir,” Quirinus said quickly. He didn’t want to talk to anyone about what had happened, let alone a teacher.  
  
“Didn’t go quite the way you’d planned it,” Professor Flitwick nodded. “Well, come on, you’re out of bounds far too late.”  
  
*  
  
Neither Violet nor Quirinus ever mentioned that night again. In fact, they barely even spoke to each other again. But in spite of her rejection, Quirinus still loved Violet McKenzie. He couldn’t help it.  
  
He was more determined than ever to seek out the Dark Lord, master him, learn from him. Maybe that wizard could show him how to win Violet back.  
  
As soon as Quirinus had finished Hogwarts, he was ready to leave, to take the grand tour, to get some experience in practical Defense. He took one suitcase with him, containing his clothes and four scrapbooks, three full of violets and the fourth for any more wildflowers he found along the way.  
  
Just before the train left, Quirinus went down to the lake where a group of girl were sitting and reflecting on their time at Hogwarts. He took a camera he had borrowed from Lester and waited until one of the girls turned around. As soon as she did, he snapped a quick photograph of the girl with violet-blue eyes.  
  
She didn’t even notice.  
  
*  
  
It had been five years since Violet McKenzie had seen Quirinus Quirrel. She barely thought about him anymore. She had long since blocked out that night that she had been with him. No one except Professor Flitwick and the barkeeper at the Hogshead had known. Whatever emotion she might have felt for Quirinus had long since disappeared.  
  
Or she thought it had.  
  
There was a knock at her door. She opened it to see Professor Flitwick on her doorstep, looking rather sad.  
  
“Professor!” Violet cried. “What...?”  
  
“Violet,” Professor Flitwick said gently. “I’m afraid I have some rather bad news. Might I come in and sit down?”  
  
“Of course!” Violet said. She let Flitwick in and pointed her wand at the kettle to start tea.  
  
As soon as the tea was ready, Professor Flitwick took a deep breath. “Quirinus is dead.”  
  
Violet sat shocked for a moment. Quirinus… the shy little boy who always stuttered in class… the boy who had learned every aspect of Defense Against the Dark Arts to impress her… the boy who gave her a flower the exact shade of violet-blue as her eyes… the boy who…  
  
“How?” she finally gasped.  
  
“You-Know-Who took his body,” Professor Flitwick explained. “But his body was harmed magically and he died.”  
  
Violet stared. “You-Know-Who..?”  
  
“If you want to know more, Professor Dumbledore would probably be willing to explain what happened. I don’t know all the details, but I thought you should know. You were close to him.”  
  
Violet shook her head. “I wasn’t,” she said. “We had a one-night stand… we were barely seventeen, we didn’t really know what we were doing. I didn’t know him, really.”  
  
“He had more affection for you than that,” Professor Flitwick said. “He left all his possessions to you.”  
  
Violet began to cry. “Why me?” she sobbed. “I rejected him, hurt him, did my best to destroy him… I was a horrible, horrible bitch and he left everything to me?”  
  
“I don’t understand, either,” Professor Flitwick said. “But if you want to assess the inheritance, it’s at Hogwarts. I’ll take you there now.”  
  
Violet hesitated, then nodded. She had to know what Quirinus had that was worth leaving to her.  
  
Not much, it turned out. Some books and clothes, but nothing interesting. Violet looked around one more time and spied a box that had been shut with magic. It only took her a moment to open it. Inside were a number of white scrapbooks. She opened them one by one. They were all filled with beautiful pressed flowers. Daisies and roses and other things that Violet didn’t know the names of—probably foreign plants—were on every page. She smiled slightly. Quirinus had always liked flowers.  
  
She looked at every scrapbook, admiring Quirinus’s flowers. Finally, she was down to the last three.  
  
All of them were filled with violets of every shade and type. They were all lovely, but Violet couldn’t help but begin to cry again. Each one of them was a tribute to her, Quirinus’s first obsession.  
  
She finally reached the last page. Instead of a dozen pressed violets, however, she found a photograph of a young woman with violet-blue eyes, who smiled briefly over her shoulder before turning back to the lake. Violet couldn’t remember that picture being taken. He must have taken it without her noticing.  
  
He had still loved her…  
  
She put the scrapbooks back in the box and sealed it again. “Get rid of the rest,” she said to Professor Flitwick. She picked up the box and walked away.  
  
She wanted his flowers, his violets. “I’m so sorry, Quirinus,” she whispered. “If I could do it again… you would have had a violet every day.”


End file.
